Saturday, 13 April 2013

holidays and a change...

A change IS as good as a holiday..indeedy. However I might add a change coupled with a holiday is the total remedy! Oh yes, a self imposed sewing ban alongside the spring term school break has given my weary fingers the full recuperation they required and I'm good to go again!

Of course with 2 girls (and myself) to keep occupied over the bitter cold days where the fingers and toes could only sustain short periods amidst the elements (alas, picnics have been few and far between this year), I decided clay would be a fun thing to play with.

We started off trying out paper clay,but I'd bought it as a powder and think I'd added too much water as it was quite tricky to work with and VERY sticky....aherm...so another trip to el Hobbycrafto and the faithful airdrying clay seemed to work quite the trick.
Skye sat for an age with a rolling pin and lots of old play dough tools, and made quite a collection of "beads" which are now awaiting some paint. Maia also sat for an age and made this incredible little model below of one of her favourite charcters "Totoro". She's a BIG fan of Studio Ghibli and Japanese animations and this little fellow features in one of their animations...(yep, it's been a learning curve for me too!)

I was so impressed by the minutae of detail, and luckily for her the proud mumma hormones were in full swing on realising his whiskers had been created out of my ancient but all time favourite hairbrush!!

Deep breath :)

I had sooo much fun with clay playing too..... took me straight back to the days when I made brooches and earrings as a teenager, which my mum would so sweetly let me sell at the craft fairs she exhibited at.

As you can see from the top photos I made brooches (and dinky ornaments) in spring colours to brighten my surroundings. I got carried away and made so many I'm deliberating whether to add them to my shop.....I have 3-4 weeks for the brooch blanks I have ordered to arrive and decide!

Thought I'd end on the sunny and recent decor that graces my living room window sill. Skye set them up and insists they remain in their row. I feel like I am about to be serenaded by some yodelling alpine chicks :)